It has been a whopper of a week. That is a mild understatement. I'm always conscious that it can change in an instant..........and often does.
It started on Tuesday with a pain in the left side of my neck. Being a denier, I just thought I had slept wrong on the pillow so thought it would be gone the next day. It was not. In fact on Wednesday, a busy, busy day,
I was having a hard time looking to the left. Ironic. So, my solution was to stand in the shower under the hottest water I could bear, and point the shower massage on my neck and left shoulder as now the pain
was not just in my neck but radiating down my shoulder.
On Thursday morning someone, who is a new acquaintance, posted the symptoms leading up to her mother's heart attack on facebook. Holy moly. Was that a swift kick in the posterior. I was on the phone with the doctor's office, got an appointment for within two hours and was there waiting for him in 1 1/2 hours. I must admit, which is silly, it did not occur to me to go to the emergency room even though I was in excruciating pain.
So, Dr. Barrera, who has been my acutely wonderful internal diagnostician now for over 10 years, quickly
checked everything and said, no, no carotid artery stuff and then checked my neck and assessed that those pesky vertebrae in my neck that are crushed or whatever, had a flareup. As always, he was correct. So, with a series of five cortisone shots, I'm on #4 today, I'm pain free. Even in my knees and hip! Ojala. Pain free is a big thing for me as I live with chronic pain.
So, this saga will become history. It's probably time for me to bite the bullet, fly to Texas next spring - April, May, and think about knee replacement or whatever and get rid of that. Possibly even see whatever kind of doctor you see for neck and spine deterioration. I might become the bionic blogger...........or not!
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Moving on. I have no photos on this blog today. I think since Friday night we have seen enough visual images that even a beautiful butterfly might be too much. I have not had the TV on since CBS Sunday Morning ended and have no intention of having anything on, but instead, listening to Mother Nature outside with chirping, zipping hummingbirds and soft, quiet butterfly wings.
As I have thought and thought about the actual people who make up the terrorists, it appears most are in their mid to late 20's. Obviously from their countries of origin, most have grown up in war torn, bombed out areas seeing the deaths, first hand of family, friends and others too numerous to list. Anger is one of the stages of grief. I know. I've experienced it at more then one time as I worked my way through over sudden deaths. I luckily had beauty to surround me, family to love me and friends to support me, but it does not appear to me that these terrorists have much other then their anger and thoughts of revenge to sustain them. Sadly.
I wonder what would happen if they could be transported, individually, to a village of tranquility with beauty and kindness. Could they heal? It would be a long process, and, I know it sounds simplistic, but now several countries have been bombed to oblivion and that certainly is not the answer. Maybe its time to back up and think of the human being who is part of all of this and how to save them, one person at a time.
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Nature has always been my salvation. Whether its watching the cloud formations or the storms coming over the mountains, whatever, it is mesmerizing and leads to meditation and reflection.
This morning I heard what I thought was someone chopping down a tree outside on the road. But, I knew that could not be the case. There are no more trees outside the perimeter of this property. Just low blooming bushes.
Finally, I went upstairs to look out the window. No, no one.........and then I turned around to see the brightest, most beautiful orange bird with stripes of black on its wings, pecking on the window in the living room. Like a woodpecker, it was SO loud. I've never seen this bird before, but it was persistent. Even when it saw me, it kept pecking. Possibly it saw its reflection. Who the heck knows? But, for me, it was
a gift. A gift of surprise from Mother Nature to remind me that after all is said and done, we can find beauty
in the tiniest of creatures. Especially when we are open to it.
10 comments:
I just talked via Skype with friends ( whom I consider family of the heart ) in France and they told me that so far " the country of origin " is not only somewhere in the Middle East exclusively, but also France, Belgium and possibly Germany.
I also believe that with the recent influx of so many refugees from the Middle East and other countries, makes it really easy for those who consider themselves right wing or worse to use the Muslim issue as a cover and work towards their end, achieving bigger political control in countries like France, Holland Germany and Belgium.
Having people live in fear of what is a perceived ( but maybe not real ) as enemy will surely help the ( ultra) right wing parties in France when elections in 2017 come around. I think it will be similar in other European countries.
I hate to think of such a possibility.
Peter and I are so glad you are fine. What a scare. Things can and do change in an instant. I have osteoarthritis in both knees and struggle with it at times. I have lsot weight and walk about 30 miles a week, that has really helped. In May I hobbled around so that is a big change. wow being pain free must be a wonderful feeling. Take care of yourself and we will be seeing soon.
Glad you're okay. Those shots bring such relief. You know you can try them in your knee as well.
Droelma, your second and third paragraph as so key to the future. Thanks for sharing.
Shelagh, thanks for your perspective. Be sure you bring sturdy walking shoes. The cobblestone streets and sidewalks are a lesson in concentration! See you soon.
Kay, well somehow, my posterior region must be connected to my knees as all the pain in my knees and hip are gone. For how long, only time will tell. I would be happy with forever! ha.
As far as I can tell from the stories I have heard - getting to emergency care fast is critical. You perhaps did not get there as fast as you should - FYI Take care of yourself!
Calypso, luckily I lived to tell the story. I HATE going to drs so I am the worst about waiting til the last minute. But, I hope to change my ways.........thanks for your good wishes.
I am not the person to tell you to go to a doctor as soon as you feel unwell. After all, I never do. But we are getting to an age when that advice might be better heeded. As always, I am glad circumstances turned out well for you.
First of all I am glad you are doing well and it wasn't, Lord forbid, a heart attack. Like you I've experienced pain that should've made me go straight to the ER and I've not thought of that right away. Interestingly enough when it's a loved one I think they should go immediately.
The rest of this post is so lovely. I've always thought that matching the energy of terrorists, of war, of allowing violence of any kind to beget violence of any kind, perpetuates it. I think your ideas are valid and have much greater power in the long run. Thank you for sharing them so eloquently.
I know Steve. I usually, like you, have to be on death's door before I get the message. I can't tell you how many times in my younger life, I just worked through the pain because I did not have time to stop!
You are so right. IT IS TIME to stop doing that and I hope I have learned my lesson.
I will tell you two weeks ago I actually contemplated buying a cane for walking and today I'm bounding up and down the stairs like a gazelle, well an aged one, but a gazelle nevertheless. Enjoy your time up North!
Thanks Barbara I so appreciate your comments, always. I could say so much more on this subject but, I don't want to get my dander up about why the initial response is always more military and bombs.
It's lovely and peaceful in San Miguel today, as always. For that I am grateful every single day............
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